


what do you say (at a moment like this)

by SaraJaye



Category: Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Friendship, Grado fell into some kind of family curse, Grado is suffering, Hugs, Illnesses, Loss of Parent(s), Mention of childbirth death, Pre-Canon, Pre-Relationship, Tea
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-29
Updated: 2018-06-29
Packaged: 2019-05-30 03:34:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 694
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15088124
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SaraJaye/pseuds/SaraJaye
Summary: Lyon knows his father may never recover, and all Eirika wants is to make everything okay again.





	what do you say (at a moment like this)

**Author's Note:**

> _Author's choice, author's choice, tea and sympathy_

Emperor Vigarde seems to be faring better than he was last time they visited, or so Eirika claims. In truth, she doesn't see much difference, the emperor still can't leave his bed and he can't finish a sentence without coughing.

But she claims he looks better, and she's not sure whose spirits she's trying to lift. The emperor's, Lyon's, or her own.

"He may recover," she offers. Ephraim's at lance practice with General Duessel, and a servant has just brought a tray of tea and snacks to the parlor. The strawberries and little shortbread cakes look delicious, but Eirika can only nibble and Lyon seems to have no appetite.

"That's what I've told myself since the beginning." He sips his tea, closing his eyes. "The healers, they say they've never met anyone who recovered from such a sickness, and Father's own self-neglect only aids the disease."

"But if he eats more regularly, gets plenty of rest, surely...?"

Lyon is silent, bowing his head for a moment, and Eirika suspects he's hiding oncoming tears.

"How much longer can I keep lying to myself, Eirika?" And she immediately puts her cup down to embrace him, drawing his head to her shoulder. He sounds so broken, so helpless it brings tears to her own eyes and all she wants is to say something, _anything_ to make that pain go away. He stiffens in her embrace for a split second before slumping against her, trembling, still struggling not to cry.

The royal family of Grado has always been so strong, so resilient, it was only a few generations ago that its rulers began to suffer from such weak health. Lyon's told her about the grandfather who died mere days after becoming a father himself, and his father before him who spent his entire reign as emperor bedridden. Lyon doesn't even remember his mother, though the stories say she died in childbirth.

She wishes these weaknesses could have ended with Lyon's grandfather. That Emperor Vigarde _could_ make a full recovery, change his habits, help Lyon believe in himself for when the day came that he would take the throne. She wishes Lyon's own health could be better, as she and Ephraim both have often feared he would grow ill and die before his time like those before him.

She wishes she knew of a power strong enough to cure this curse of poor health, to make everything okay again. To make sure Lyon never had to feel such overwhelming fear again. But even the Sacred Stones don't have that power, and there's nothing she can say to change what is.

So she holds him, stroking his hair, letting him cling to her. Somehow, he manages to hold back his tears, and she doesn't know whether to find it admirable or tragic.

"You might feel better if you eat something," she says. He shakes his head.

"Maybe later..." He takes another sip of his tea, and Eirika can't help the flash of worry she's often felt in the past when Lyon claimed not to be hungry. But she won't force him, and instead sips her own tea.

He seems calmer by the time his cup is empty, and she pours him more.

"Thank you," he murmurs. "Eirika, I'm sorry. Your visit is being marred by my dark thoughts, and-"

"Don't." She strokes his face. "Lyon, we're friends. Your pain is my own, and you know you'll always have my shoulder to lean on if you need it." His cheeks turn pink, and for a moment Eirika feels her own heat up a bit. "I came because I wanted to support you, and so did Ephraim." Lyon nods.

"He's going to insist we go into the city tomorrow, isn't he."

"I wouldn't put it past him." Eirika smooths his hair away from his face. "Unless it rains. Then we can insist he sit and have tea with us." And for the first time since the twins' arrival in the capital, Lyon manages a smile.

"Yes...but, um, as selfish as it is, right now, I rather prefer..." He trails off, his cheeks going pink again, and Eirika nods.

"Me too, Lyon."


End file.
